404: Escape
by me11
Summary: Episode Four: Lex and Chloe visit Lana... en Paris...
1. Teaser

**4.04 – Escape**

* * *

_Previously on Smallville:  
  
"Mrs. Kent is coming to pick me up. Her and Pete are going to help me go through the stuff at home, start packing it up..."  
  
"There is a Miss Lang on the phone. She is asking for either you or Ms. Sullivan..."  
  
"But I'm just sick of everyone looking at me and treating me as if I'm going to have some kind of mental breakdown..." Chloe turned around and held them out in front of her, not even surprised to see Lex standing there, his expression as guilty as hers was angry... "Don't look at me like that."  
  
"I'll be going to Paris next weekend. Could you please arrange a pilot and accommodations?"...  
  
Pete reached out and hugged her tightly. She buried her face in his neck and didn't want to let go. "I'll miss you Pete."...  
_

* * *

TEASER  
  
Lex watched her silently staring out of the limo window, the cornfields and cows giving way to the small buildings of Smallville. They passed the Talon and Chloe averted her eyes. The driver turned left off of Main Street and continued on the way to the Luthor Corp Plant. He had some things to take care of in Smallville before he left for Paris the next day.  
  
He still hadn't told Chloe about going yet; he was hoping to surprise her. The limo pulled into the plant parking lot. She was staring morosely at the seat in front of her. He knew that she missed Pete.  
  
"Do you have any plans this weekend?" Lex asked her casually. Chloe looked up at him, a little surprised by the noise; they hadn't talked since they left the city.  
  
"I was thinking about reading every book in your library," she deadpanned. "See if I can find any inconsistencies in the fourteen different Alexander the Great biographies that you have."  
  
Lex smirked at that and opened his briefcase. "In that case, I have something for you," he pulled out a red and blue book and handed it to her.  
  
Chloe turned the book over curiously. "A French-English dictionary," she read the cover and looked up at him again. "I don't get it."  
  
He closed the case. "As interesting as your plans sound, I thought maybe you'd like to join me tomorrow evening," he smirked slightly, unable to hold it back when he saw her raised eyebrows. "I thought maybe we'd visit Lana. Paris is beautiful this time of year."  
  
Her mouth dropped open slightly. "Seriously?" she asked him, disbelief written all over her face. Lex's smirk spread into a genuine smile.  
  
"Plane leaves at nine," he told her. When she gave him a mega-watt grin, the first one he'd seen since before the trial, he almost laughed. "Better start packing."  
  
Chloe nodded and stared at the book in her hands, completely dumbstruck. Lex said a quick goodbye and climbed out of the limo, feeling pretty great now, and heading towards the entrance doors.  
  
Behind him he heard the limo door open and he paused, turning around. Chloe jumped out and hurried over to him. She stood on her tiptoes and quickly pressed a kiss to his cheek, before pulling away and giving him another grin. "Thanks Lex," she told him sincerely.  
  
He mutely watched while she ran back over to the car. It drove away and left him in the parking lot, a surprised smile on his face.  
  
TBC... 


	2. Un

**Chapter 1**  
  
Chloe bounced nervously in her seat while the plane made various frightening noises. She triple checked her seatbelt and then gripped her armrests tightly. Across from her, Lex was reading through that morning's copy of the Wall Street Journal, completely relaxed. It was driving her crazy.  
  
A whirring sound came from the left side of the plane, near the wing, and she jumped as high as she could with the seatbelt on. Her head snapped to the left and she tried desperately to see out of the far window. When she realized that she'd have to get up to see out of the other side of the death machine (aka plane) she squeezed the armrests even tighter, terrified at the thought. The same noise sounded again, this time from the right side of the plane. She jumped again and stared fixedly out of her window at the wing, trying to see something suspicious.  
  
He was holding the paper in front of his face, but she didn't have to see him to know that he was smirking at her. Feeling quite ridiculous, she forced herself to calm down, taking a few deep breaths and resisting the urge to pout. She was beginning to relax...  
  
The plane suddenly began to move and she let out a small yelp. Lex peered over the paper at her strange behaviour and then folded up his paper. "Chloe?" he struggled not to laugh outright. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine," she snapped, praying that she wasn't blushing. The plane turned and then slowly rolled to a stop. "I don't suppose we're there yet?" she asked him hopefully.  
  
"I'm afraid not," he smirked. "Have you never flown before?"  
  
"I have," she reached out and pushed the blind down over her window. "I was five though – Dad took me to Disney World." Lex undid his seatbelt and stood up. "What are you doing?" she yelped. "Sit down!"  
  
"The plane isn't moving," he told her slowly, as if she were crazy. Chloe frowned.  
  
"Oh," she muttered and turned away. He was still smirking when he sat in the seat beside her and buckled himself in.  
  
"First of all," he reached over and pushed the blind up. "If you're going to hog the window seat, at least leave the blind up."  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you'd ever fly again," she squeezed her eyes shut and rested her head against the seat.  
  
"I prefer not to think about that," he muttered and mimicked her actions. "Besides, the plane itself was fine, it was the other passengers that caused it to crash."  
  
"Don't say crash!" Chloe snapped. Lex rolled his eyes at her, but she was slightly pleased to note that he seemed less amused than he had before. 'Maybe he's worried,' she thought smugly. 'Good.'

* * *

After a brief stop in Newark to fuel up, the Luthor Corp jet was safely on it's way to Paris. The pilot's voice sounded through the cabin a while after they'd levelled out in the air. "Mr. Luthor I'm switching to auto-pilot now. We're out of American airspace and should be arriving in Paris in about eight hours."  
  
Lex undid his seatbelt and walked over to the bar, pouring himself a glass of brandy. Chloe followed his lead and undid her own belt. She chanced a look out of the window, but could only make out clouds and endless black sky.  
  
"Do you want something?" Lex asked her.  
  
"Is there coffee?"  
  
Lex grinned at her hopeful tone and pulled a bag of fancy beans out of one of the small cupboards. "French vanilla roast okay?" he asked, holding up the bag. Chloe hopped to her feet, forgetting her nervousness about flying at the mere sight of coffee, and hurried over. She grabbed the bag and looked at it adoringly. "You're a strange girl."  
  
"You collect comic books," she returned. He put a hand to his chest.  
  
"You're mean," he feigned insult. "Coffee junkie."  
  
"Trekkie dork," she grinned.  
  
"Who told you?" he smirked and then left her to make her coffee.  
  
Chloe hummed to herself while she measured enough coffee to make a normal pot, and then doubled it. She hit the brew button and began to tap her fingers impatiently as it began to percolate. Skill-fully switching the half full pot for a large mug, she let the mug fill up before switching the pot back. She blew quickly on the steaming mug before taking a tentative sip. "Yum," she whispered and then took her seat across from Lex.

* * *

Her watch read midnight, but once she'd finished her first cup of coffee, Chloe wasn't even close to tired. In fact, she was rocking back and forth in her seat slightly, her foot tapping out a strange rhythm on the floor.  
  
Lex stifled a grin at the sight, glad to see her happy about something again. She'd been so down lately that he'd forgotten how amazing she looked when she was excited. "How's the coffee?" he asked. Her hands seemed to actually be vibrating.  
  
"Strong," was the reply, her mouth sliding into an easy grin. Lex smirked and set aside his magazine, bored with the article he'd been attempting to read. "So what do you do on an eight hour flight?" she asked him.  
  
Lex sighed and tried to relax into his seat. "Normally I'd go over paperwork, but since this isn't really a business trip," he stretched his legs out in front of him. "Whatever you want. Sleep?" He watched her still shaky hands doubtfully.  
  
"I could sleep," she nodded. When he raised his eyebrows she grinned. "Oh please. The caffeine high only lasts for about twenty minutes; my body is at least ten percent caffeine anyways."  
  
Lex chuckled and opened his magazine again while she grabbed her duffle bag and went into the bathroom to change. She came out a few minutes later and Lex burst out laughing again. "Oh be quiet," she grumbled and flung herself back into her seat.  
  
"I didn't say anything," Lex said defensively and continued to eye her pyjamas.  
  
"They were a birthday present," she explained, looking down at the two-piece outfit. They were baby blue, soft, and covered in colourful coffee cups and pieces of biscotti. "From Pete."  
  
"They're...cute," he smirked realizing that cute was indeed the very best word that described her at the moment. From the cute pyjamas, the ridiculous toe-socks on her feet, and even the two small ponytails she'd pulled her hair into; she just looked...cute. "When was your birthday?" he asked her.  
  
"March 5," she got up and poured herself another cup of coffee. "Do you want some?"  
  
"No!" Lex yelped quickly, not wanting to have to even go near that tar that she liked to call coffee. "I mean, no thank-you."  
  
Chloe shrugged. "More for me," she finished off the last drops in the pot and carried her mug to her seat. "Are there any blankets?"  
  
"In the overhead compartment," Lex replied and then went back to his reading. She reached up to open the compartment and he tried not to watch when her top rode up slightly. He forced himself to turn away from the distracting strip of pale skin that came into view. He was relieved when she dropped a pillow and a blanket on the seat beside him, her shirt moving back down. She closed the compartment and carried her own blanket and pillow over to her seat.  
  
While Chloe bundled herself in the blanket and got comfy, he began to notice exactly how restraining his coat and tie was. Lex slipped the jacket off and loosened his tie as well, tossing it on the seat beside him. He undid the top two buttons on his shift and grabbed his pillow. He tried to get comfortable.

* * *

The plane landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport at exactly 4:03 PM European Continental Time. Chloe figured that there was an 8-hour time difference; she hoped that she'd be able to sleep that night.  
  
Lex had hired a car to take the two of them to the hotel. "Where'd the pilot?" she asked him.  
  
"Sent him home," Lex told her easily. "He'll come back when we're ready to go home."  
  
"How long are we staying?" she asked him, peering out the window at the city. She'd only packed enough clothes for a week or so. "And where's Quinn?"  
  
"The security team is being given a well deserved holiday while we're here," he explained. "I didn't think they'd be necessary while we were here. As for how long, I was thinking a week or two in Paris..."  
  
She looked at him strangely when he didn't finish, but then shrugged. "Sounds good," she smiled. "Do you have to go to any meetings while we're here?"  
  
He nodded. "I'm meeting with an associate on Monday morning to discuss a possible acquisition, but that's it," he assured her.  
  
"Does Lana know we're here? Chloe couldn't help but grin at the though of her friend.  
  
Lex shook his head. "I thought it would be more interesting if we surprised her," he smirked. She flashed his a grin of approval before turning back to watch the city. The car finally came to a stop outside of a large, looming building. They climbed out and Chloe stared up at it in awe.  
  
"I can't believe I'm in Paris!" she squealed and jumped a little, knocking him lightly with her elbow. "Dad would love—"She stopped and looked down at her shoes quietly, biting her lip.  
  
"Let's go check in," Lex suggested and placed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her in through the revolving doorway. Two bellboys rushed out to retrieve their bags. Lex led Chloe to the front desk where a middle-aged man in an impeccably pressed suit greeted them.  
  
"Bonjour Monsieur, Mademoiselle," the man said. "Bienvenue a la Plaza Parisienne." Chloe felt incredibly underdressed in her jeans and trendy blazer, especially next to Lex and the guy in the three-piece suit. The entire lobby was decorated with gold trimmings and couches and chairs lined with posh red velvet.  
  
"Bonjour," Lex nodded to the man. "Reservation pour Luthor."  
  
The man checked the computer. "Ah, Mr. Luthor," he smiled grandly and spoke in a heavily accented but fluent English. "Yes we have you booked in our penthouse suite. Joseph will show you there." He handed them each a silver key card. "Enjoy your stay, and if you need anything, please let us know."  
  
"Merci," Lex nodded and shook his hand, slipping him a bill so discretely that it was obvious that he'd done it hundreds of times before. "Let's go," Lex said to Chloe. She nodded dumbly and allowed him to lead her over to where the bellboy, Joseph, was waiting.  
  
They took the elevator up to the very top floor, number 25, and Joseph ushered them into the small vestibule area. He swiped a gold card through the panel beside the door and then pushed it open. Joseph stepped aside and let Lex and Chloe go through. She looked around in awe at the large suite. From the main room she could make out three bedrooms, a large bathroom, a kitchenette, and office space, big screen tv...  
  
Joseph brought the luggage in. "Vous pouvez laissez ici," Lex stopped him from taking the bags into the bedrooms. "Merci beaucoup." He shook the bellboy's hand, slipping him a bill in a denomination so large that Joseph's eyes widened slightly.  
  
"Merci Monsieur," Joseph thanked him. "Madamoiselle," he nodded at Chloe and then left.  
  
"You made his day," Chloe snarked, grabbing her suitcase and pulling it towards the bedrooms.  
  
"If you tip well at the beginning of the stay you tend to get excellent service until you leave," he told her absently. "Take any room you want."  
  
She nodded and poked her head into the first bedroom she found. It was enormous; complete with a king sized bed, a blue and cream colour scheme, and a private bathroom. She peeked quickly into the next rooms, each a tad smaller than the first and decided on the peach and tan coloured room next to the blue one, leaving the master bedroom for Lex.  
  
Chloe hoisted the suitcase onto the bed, a plush looking queen, and opened it wide, beginning to take her clothes out. She'd brought several sets of casual shirts and pants, from her own closet, as well as a couple of the outfits that Lex had bought her when she moved in, just in case.  
  
Lex knocked on her door and leaned casually on the frame. "Did you bring anything formal? I thought maybe we could go out for dinner tonight," he asked her. "Go visit Lana tomorrow."  
  
Chloe held up a classy looking Versacci suit and a pair of black Jimmy Choo's. "This okay?" she asked him. Lex nodded. "What time?"  
  
"The French tend to eat dinner late," he told her. "Eight sound good?" When she nodded he loosened his tie and turned around. "I'll make reservations. I think I'm going to lay down for a couple of hours."  
  
"Okay," she called and finished unpacking. Once she was finished she checked her watch. After changing it to the proper time she decided that a nap sounded like a good idea. She set the alarm clock on the nightstand and collapsed unceremoniously onto the bed. She fell asleep instantly.  
  
TBC...

* * *

_A/N: Okay, a few rather important notes this time... It's come time for me to alienate some of my readers. Why? Because I just couldn't resist some of the comments that will arise in the next few chapters. Don't worry, it's noting mean, and it's all completely factual information based on my own experiences when I was in Europe (particularly when I was in France). If any of you get offended by some of the jokes in this episode, I'm truly sorry...and would just like to point out that if any of you actually do get offended you should really lighten up. :0) In case you want a hint, most of the comments will be uttered by Lana, since I look at her to be the dumbest character (with Clark gone anyway). Also there's the ironic spin to it that Lana is played by the only Canadian actor on the show. You'll see what I mean...  
  
Please try to ignore the poor French, it's been a while since I had to spell anything in French and my word processor isn't picking it up...also I think I spelled Versacci wrong...  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed episode 4.03! It's nice to hear people excited about my spoilers. And for the record, I wish I wrote for Smallville too...how cool would that be?! :0)_


	3. Deux

**Chapter 2**  
  
The restaurant that Lex picked was much fancier than anything Chloe was used to. She felt like a walking cliché when she couldn't read the many, pronounce the words, recognize the language... Luckily Lex didn't seem to mind and even taught her a few simple French phrases to help her get by. Or at least, he tried to.  
  
"You need to roll your r's," he chuckled and sipped his wine. Chloe groaned and took a big swig of her own glass.  
  
"Great country," she chirped, pouring another glass. Lex frowned slightly and took the bottle away from her. The waiter brought them each a plate of tiramisu, one of the things she could pronounce. "If you keep taking me to restaurants like this I may have to go to a couple of etiquette classes," she eyed the other diners as discretely as she could. They all seemed to have impeccable table manners.  
  
"Don't feel too bad," Lex finished off his desert. "Most North Americans feel that way when they come to Europe." Chloe felt slightly relieved...and a little insulted.

* * *

After dinner they had the driver do a tour of the city. "It looks beautiful at night," Lex assured her. He was right, of course. The city was illuminated and flocks of tourists turned up to stare at the Eiffel Tower and the city's islands, cramming themselves into glass boats and anxiously cruising down the Seine.  
  
Chloe had the driver take their picture in front of the illuminated Eiffel Tower, it's beams glowing bright golden. Lex smiled indulgently and posed for the picture, making her extremely grateful that he didn't tease her. "Merci," Chloe took the camera back from the driver, Jacques, and flashed him a mega-watt grin.  
  
"You rolled your r," Lex pointed out. Chloe laughed and they climbed back into the car. She flipped through the pictures on her camera happily.  
  
"This is so great," she cooed, studying a picture of the Notre Dame Cathedral. "Thank-you so much for bringing me with you." Lex smiled.

* * *

On Sunday morning Lex and Chloe had Jacques take them to the Paris School of the Arts. He waited outside while they went in to the dormitory lobby, the building that Lana was supposed to be staying in. There was a guard seated at a large desk. Chloe waited quietly while Lex conversed with the guard, trying to pick up on parts of the conversation but not understanding a word.  
  
"Bonjour," Lex began silkily. "Pouvez vous disez ou je peus trouve Lana Lang? Elle est etudiante ici pour l'ete."  
  
The guard checked a clipboard on his desk and then handed Lex a pen. Then he handed Lex the clipboard. "S'il veut plait," the guard pointed to something on the board. "Juste ici. La fille aussi."  
  
She watched Lex fill out something and then hand the pen and clipboard back to the guard. "Merci," the guard smiled pleasantly and handed Lex a small piece of paper. "Ca c'est la numero de la sale."  
  
"Merci," Lex returned and walked back over to Chloe, showing her the paper. "Room 419." Chloe pointed to a set of elevators that she'd spotted and they made their way over, punching the button for the fourth floor.  
  
Room 419 was at the end of the hallway. Lex knocked on the door and after a moment they could hear Lana's voice on the other side. "I've got it Amy," her voice was muffled slightly from the large oak door. A clanking sound was heard as she unlocked the security chain, and then the door swung open.  
  
All pink and shock, Lana blinked at them dumbly for a moment before... "Oh my God!" she screamed and launched herself at Chloe, crushing the blonde girl and making both of them stumble a bit.  
  
"Lana," Chloe coughed, unable to breathe, and patted her friends back carefully. Lana pulled away from her and then repeated the gesture on Lex, though a little less exuberantly.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked them breathily. Then, not giving them a chance to answer she grabbed each of them by the hand and pulled them into the room. "This is so great! Come on in, you have to meet my roommate Amy. She'd from Canada...I don't remember where...AMY!"  
  
Lex closed the door behind them and they allowed Lana to drag them over to a couch in the small living room. "Your roommate's Canadian?" Lex asked her.  
  
"Oh yeah," Lana sat down and pulled Chloe down beside her. "Most of the students in the summer program are from other countries; the States, Canada, Australia, England...the French and the Italian students tend to come during our regular school year."  
  
A pretty blonde girl came into the room and looked at Lana expectantly. "You bellowed?" she grinned.  
  
"Guys this is my roommate Amy," Lana introduced them. "Amy this is Lex and Chloe."  
  
"Nice to meet you," Amy gave a small wave. "You guys know Lana from back home?"  
  
"Smallville," Chloe nodded.  
  
"Cool," Any sat on a chair near the couch. "She talks about it all the time, but I've never been to Kansas."  
  
"Where do you call home?" Lex asked her politely.  
  
"Canada," Lana supplied eagerly and Chloe noticed that she seemed proud to remember.  
  
"Canada's a big country," Lex smirked slightly. "Where about in Canada?"  
  
Amy grinned at the puzzled look on Lana's face. "I split time between Calgary and Winnipeg," she told them. Off Lex's surprised look she elaborated. "My parents are separated."  
  
"Right," Lana slapped her leg, remembering. "Winnipeg..."  
  
"I've never been to Winnipeg," Lex admitted.  
  
"No one has," Amy grinned again.  
  
"I enjoyed Calgary though," he smiled.  
  
"Stampede?"  
  
"Business," Lex shook his head. "Although we did go skiing afterwards."  
  
"Oh, Banff or Jasper?" Amy asked eagerly.  
  
"Banff," Lex told her. "Nice town...off season anyway." They both chuckled slightly and Chloe and Lana watched them as if they were watching a ping-pong match.  
  
"Banff?" Lana questioned quietly. Amy seemed to notice her confusion and changed the subject.  
  
"So how long are you guys in town for?" she asked them. Lana perked up now.  
  
"Tell me it's not just for the weekend," Lana pleaded. Chloe tried not to roll her eyes.  
  
'Who the hell flies all the way to France for the weekend?' she wondered.  
  
"No we're here for at least a week," Lex smiled patiently at her. "Possibly two."  
  
"Really?" Lana chirped. "Are you here for work?"  
  
"Not really?" he replied vaguely. Lana nodded several times, chipper beyond even her usual standards.  
  
"So...how's school?" Chloe asked her.  
  
"It's great," Lana beamed. "I've met so many nice people! We go every weekday from eight until four-thirty, but we get every weekend off."  
  
"Sounds good," Chloe didn't know what else to say; it just sounded like school to her. Or maybe work.  
  
"Have you had lunch yet?" Lex asked them. They shook their heads. "How about I buy you some lunch, and you can show us the city?"  
  
"Okay," Lana nodded eagerly and ran off to get her coat. Amy bit her lip but Chloe could see the corners of her mouth quirk up. She mimicked the action, and so did Lex.  
  
"I hope you'll join us," Lex said to Amy.  
  
"That'd be nice, thanks," Amy smiled politely. Once Lana returned, decked in a pink jacket and a pink t-shirt, they made their way to the door.  
  
"Do you guys have jackets?" Lana asked them, eyes wide.  
  
"It's 28 degrees outside," Amy reminded her. Lana blinked in confusion. "I mean it's hot outside." Chloe covered her mouth so Lana wouldn't see her grin. They took the elevator down and once they'd left the lobby Lana locked her arm through Chloe's, letting Lex and Amy walk ahead of them.  
  
"So how are you doing?" Lana questioned her, face full of pity. "I'm really sorry about your dad. I miss him."  
  
"So do I," Chloe admitted. "But I'm doing okay."  
  
"You seem okay," Lana said encouragingly.  
  
"I'm trying not to think about it," Chloe told her, knowing that she'd been more upbeat in the last couple of days than was completely normal for someone who'd just lost a parent. "Enjoy Paris for now and then think about the rest once I get back...to Smallville." She'd almost said home, but realized that after the trip, she wouldn't be going home. She'd be going to the mansion with Lex.  
  
Maybe the pink jacket gave her special powers, or maybe years of wearing that necklace turned her into some kind of meteor freak, but Lana seemed to be able to read her mind. "How's living with Lex?" Lana whispered, to make sure he didn't overhear. "Really?"  
  
Chloe glanced quickly to where Lex was listening to something Amy was saying; he nodded and laughed a little. "It's different," she admitted, feeling as if they'd had this conversation before. "He's been great though. Did I tell you he flew Pete into town and then to his mom's on Thursday?"  
  
Lana nodded. "That was really nice of him."  
  
"Yeah..." Chloe looked at Amy and Lex again. "So how's life here? Really?"  
  
"I miss Smallville," Lana admitted. "I really miss Clark, and you, and Pete. Lex and I were getting closer too...oh hey? How's the Talon?"  
  
"Good," Chloe assured her. "It's the same, just no Lana Lang there. I like Amy, she's nice."  
  
"She is," Lana smiled and then lowered her voice again. "What's Banff?"

* * *

When Lex came back from his meeting Monday afternoon he came holding two box seats to the opera. "Les Miserables," he told her. "Tomorrow night. Would you like to go?" Chloe beamed at him.  
  
Lex took that to mean yes and handed her a credit card. "There's a shop that the concierge recommended," he handed her a slip of paper as well with something written on it in French. "I'll have a car come around and drive you when you want to go."  
  
Chloe looked at the credit card and frowned. "Lex this has my name on it," she pointed to the small C SULLIVAN embossed on the platinum card.  
  
"That's because it's your credit card," he told her, as if it should be obvious.  
  
"I don't have a credit card," Chloe returned.  
  
"You do now," Lex smirked. When she didn't return the grin his smirk disappeared and his brow furrowed slightly. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"You don't have to give me a credit card Lex," she sighed. "I survived fine without one for seventeen years."  
  
"I think you may be the only seventeen year old girl on the planet that doesn't want a credit card," he remarked.  
  
"Your knowledge of seventeen year old girls is vast, I'm sure," she snarked. "But Lex, I don't need a credit card."  
  
"No one needs a credit card Chloe," he chuckled patronizingly, as if he thought she was a naïve child. "I'm giving it to you because I want you to have it."  
  
"No you're giving it to me because you think that I expect it," she was hurt that he didn't understand. "I'm thankful that you're letting me stay with you, and you have no idea how much I appreciate everything...but Lex, I don't want your money. And I don't want you buy things for me."  
  
He looked very insulted, and underneath the indignant expression, a little hurt. "I just thought..."  
  
"Well don't," she cut him off, though she said it calmly. "Gifts are always nice but I don't want you to think that you have to buy them for me. I'm not after your money and I don't want you to buy me things out of guilt or obligation." She pushed the credit card back into his hand.  
  
Lex frowned at her and she could tell that he was annoyed. "Chloe you're being ridiculous, it's just a credit card," he told her through clenched teeth. "It's in case you need something, or it there's an emergency and you have to—"  
  
"Buy and opera dress?" she cut in.  
  
"Sure," he shrugged. Her shoulders sagged.  
  
"You don't get it do you?" she asked quietly, more to herself than to him. He looked back at her expectantly. Chloe sighed softly and then forced a slight smile onto her face, realizing that he just wouldn't be able to understand. They'd come from very different places. "Thanks Lex," she took the card back and held up the paper in her hand. "I'll go later this afternoon."  
  
Lex's confused look followed her while she walked over to her bedroom and shut the door behind her.

* * *

Chloe was ready to go at four o'clock that afternoon. Not seeing Lex anywhere in the suite, she quickly wrote him a note before grabbing her purse and heading down to the lobby. She'd phoned Lana when her friend was on her lunch break and arranged to meet her at the Metro stop closest to her school.  
  
"Get off at the stop labelled Ecole des Arts," Lana told her, and then told her how to spell it. "I'll go there right after class to meet you. Okay?"  
  
She was about to exit the hotel when she realized that she didn't have any money on her besides a few American twenties. Spotting the suit- clad man from Saturday, she hurried over to his desk. He looked up when she approached, a charming smile appearing on his face. "Miss Sullivan," he greeted her. "Is there something I can help you with?"  
  
Five minutes later Chloe was headed towards the nearest Metro stop, a wad of colourful bills and various coins replacing the green twenties. The man, who she learned was named Dennis, told her to look for the stop named Route Plaza; it was supposed to be just down the street. She found it easily.  
  
Once she'd figured out the ticket machines, she bought herself a return ticket and located the right line, making her way to her train.

* * *

Lana checked her watch, a small twinge of concern arising when she realized that it was a quarter to five and still no sign of Chloe. She pushed the concern aside though, reminding herself that Chloe was a city girl and could take care of herself.  
  
Still, she was relieved when she spotted her friend's blonde head a minute later, pushing her way through a throng of people. "Hey," Chloe greeted. "Sorry I'm late, I had to stop and exchange some money."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Lana grinned. "So did you find everything okay?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Chloe waved her hand. "The system's easy if you know where you're going.  
  
"Good," Lana smiled. "So, where do you have to go? You said that Lex recommended a certain store?"  
  
Chloe pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Lana. "This is it," she shrugged. "I hope he put directions."  
  
Lana read Lex's familiar scrawl and her eyes widened. "I know where it is," she told Chloe, surprised. "Are you sure this is the place?"  
  
"That's what he said," Chloe nodded. "So do we walk?"  
  
Lana shook her head. "No, we better take the subway," she explained. "It's pretty far."  
  
"Where is it?" Chloe asked, following Lana down the stairs into the station.  
  
"On the Champs Elysses," Lana told her. "Very expensive shopping district."  
  
"Yeah, I've heard of it," Chloe rolled her eyes. "Makes sense...you should see what else he gave me." Chloe opened her wallet and pulled out some change for her ticket, as well as the shiny new credit card, and gave the card to Lana.  
  
Lana's eyes widened again, making her look suspiciously like a Precious Moments doll. "He gave you a credit card!" she yelped. Chloe scowled slightly and slipped the card back into her purse. "What's the limit?"  
  
"I didn't ask," Chloe looked a little affronted and so Lana tried to reign in her enthusiasm. "But I'm supposed to put the dress on it."  
  
Lana knew that look. "What's wrong then?" she asked as they headed down a brick hallway towards their train.  
  
"I don't need a credit card," Chloe told her. "And I don't need new dresses, and designer suits, and seventeen pairs of Jimmy Choo's. He keeps throwing money at me...and he doesn't seem to understand why I don't want it."  
  
"Why don't you want it?" Lana asked while they took their seats on the train.  
  
"Because I'm not interested in Lex's money," Chloe groaned. "I know he feels guilty, like what happened is his fault...but he doesn't realize that I'm not looking for a handout. Giving me a place to stay is more than enough, and I don't want him to keep buying me things out of guilt."  
  
"How do you know it's out of guilt?" Lana asked her, swaying slightly when the train began to move. "Lex has always been generous with people he cares about."  
  
"But I'm not Clark," Chloe stated the obvious. "I didn't save his life and...and I'm not really a close friend."  
  
"Of course you're his friend," Lana told her seriously, shocked that the words would even come out of Chloe's mouth. "You helped him take down Lionel Luthor, when no one else could. You risked everything for him, and you lost a lot, and he knows that. And no you didn't save his life, but you kind of give him something more important."  
  
"Witty conversation?" Chloe tried to snark.  
  
"No," Lana laughed. "Chloe with you around he has someone to take care of. He's never had that before."  
  
Chloe bit her lip. "I never though of that before," she admitted. "Do you really think that he looks at it like that?" The train stopped briefly and then started again.  
  
"Absolutely," Lana nodded seriously. "He just wants you to be happy, and he needs to be happy too. He knows you're not after his money. I say if buying you all of the Prada in Paris makes him feel like he's helping, then let him."  
  
"But that's not what I need," Chloe insisted. "It sounds...selfish, but it's true."  
  
"I know Chloe," Lana smiled gently, understanding what she meant. "But maybe you need to let him know what you need. I'm sure that living with him is an adjustment, but he has to adapt too. Do you remember when I moved in with you, and you told me that I didn't have to earn a place in your family? You're a part of Lex's family now, as long as you're living there and under his custody; that's the way he deals with family. He just wants to help you Chloe."  
  
Chloe nodded and seemed to understand her now. Lana looked up at the map on the wall of the train and decided to change the subject. She nudged Chloe. "Next stop is ours," she couldn't keep the grin off of her face at the thought of the dresses they'd be trying on. "Let's get you that dress."  
  
TBC..._A/N: Hope you all liked it. Like I said, there's nothing that mean in there, but some of you may have encountered similar conversations (you know who you are!). ;0) Up next, the opera! Please review all of you nice people...and again, please forgive my abysmal French skills. I've fallen out of practice. :0) _


	4. Trois

**Chapter 3**  
  
Lex readjusted the tie on his tux for the seventh time. He knew it looked fine, but he was beginning to fidget, growing tired of waiting. Chloe was still getting dressed for the opera. They weren't scheduled to leave for another fifteen minutes, so technically she wasn't late, but after their fight the day before she'd been uncharacteristically silent and he was a little concerned.  
  
Just as he was about to re-check the tie, her bedroom door opened and she came out. Lex turned quickly to greet her and promptly choked. "Does it look okay?" she asked him, mistaking his reaction. Lex nodded dumbly and allowed his eyes to rake up and down her body once before pulling himself together.  
  
"You look great," he told her, feeling about as smooth as Clark Kent at that moment. She actually did look great. The dress was black, fine silk, and perfectly skimmed over her curves. She'd pulled her hair into an elegant twist, and had left her neck unadorned. The contrast of ample amounts of white skin against the black dress was striking.  
  
"Oh wait," she ran back into the room and emerged with a small clutch and a pair of gloves. "I almost forgot," she flashed him a devilish grin he couldn't help but return. "I was told that opera gloves aren't just an Audrey Hepburn cliché, they are a must." She slid on the gloves, pulling them on all of the way to rest between her elbows and shoulders. "So, it's okay?"  
  
She turned around slowly, letting him see that the dress was practically backless, yet still very classy. "It's amazing, "Lex assured her. "You look perfect."  
  
"Good," she laughed. "I was scared I'd embarrass you. I didn't want anyone to think I was tacky."  
  
"You've never been tacky," Lex chuckled. He gestured to the door. "Shall we?" Chloe nodded and, picking up the small clutch, made her way to the door. They took the elevator down and when the doors opened her offered his arm.  
  
"Thank-you," she slipped her hand through his elbow and let him lead the way to the awaiting limo. Lex smiled when she greeted the driver. She was already better than the last four dated he'd had.

* * *

Limo rides didn't hold as much awe for Chloe as they once did; she'd been in Lex's limo several times already. But when they arrived at the opera house she was impressed by the large display. Apparently the show was a bigger deal than Lex had let on, because the building had several reporters standing outside of it, flashing pictures at the arriving guests.  
  
White and blue floodlights lit the sides of the buildings and gave Chloe the feeling like she was at an awards show. Their limo pulled up behind a couple of others and waited its turn to let its passengers out on the red carpet. Lex peered out of the window and scowled at some of the more exuberant reporters.  
  
"Paparazzi," he explained to Chloe. She frowned.  
  
"They give the press a bad name," she was quite aware of the bitterness in her voice.  
  
"Just smile at them and walk quickly," Lex told her. "If you don't fight them they'll usually leave you alone."  
  
"It's always more interesting if you've got something to hide," Chloe nodded, understanding what he meant.  
  
Once it was their turn, the driver stopped the limo in front of the carpet and two ushers stepped up to the car. One of them opened the door, holding it open for Lex. He climbed out gracefully amid several camera flashes, and offered his hand to help her out.  
  
The sudden flurry of flashes blinded her for a second, but she immediately plastered on a smile. He offered his arm again and she slipped her hand through it, resting it on the crook of his elbow. They smiled quickly for the cameras before the second usher led them inside. Once they cleared the doorway Chloe let her smile drop.  
  
"My cheeks hurt," she told him quietly. He smirked and continued to follow the usher up to the private boxes.  
  
"You'll get used to it," he assured her. She wasn't sure if that would even be possible.

* * *

"It was possible," Chloe told Lana the next day. They were walking along the Champs Elysees, meeting Lex for lunch. Lana and Amy (who was listening to the story intently) had taken the day off from school to do the tourist thing with her. "By the end of the night I didn't even have to try to smile anymore, my face was practically stuck like that."  
  
"It sounds like it was fabulous," Lana cooed dreamily.  
  
"Were there any famous people there?" Amy asked her eagerly.  
  
"I thought I saw Elton John," Chloe grinned. "But it just turned out to be a guy wearing rhinestones. Mostly it was just business men and politicians...I heard that the French president was there though."  
  
"Cool," Amy told her decidedly.  
  
"Oh this is the place," Chloe stopped them suddenly and gestured to the sign on an awning in front of a fancy looking restaurant.  
  
"Are you sure?" Lana asked her sceptically, and Amy looked just as uncertain.  
  
"Why do you keeping asking me that?" Chloe pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, hotel stationary with the restaurant name and the time (noon) scrawled in Lex's handwriting. She gave the paper to Lana. "I don't speak French but I can still read. Isn't this it?"  
  
Lana's grin widened. "She's right," Lana told Amy. "This is the place." They both looked eager to go in, though Chloe didn't know why.  
  
"We're eating here?" Amy grinned. "Lex Luthor I just put in a vote in favour of capitalism? Because, wow..."  
  
"Okay let's go in," Chloe pulled the door open and they all walked up to where a man, presumably the host, was standing. He was decked out in a black and white suit and looked singularly unimpressed at the girl's attire.  
  
"Bonjour Mademoiselles," he greeted them with a polite nod. Chloe looked at Lana expectantly; neither of them really knew French. Amy smiled at the man.  
  
"Bonjour," she replied smoothly. "Nous rencontrons un ami ici."  
  
"Nom?" the man looked down at something on his podium.  
  
"Luthor," Amy replied smoothly, daring him to doubt her. The man nodded once and smiled politely.  
  
"Oui Mademoiselles," he gestured for them to follow. "S'il veut- plait." Amy began to follow him and Chloe and Lana hurried along behind them. The host led them around a few decorative plants to a cozy dining area. They spotted Lex sitting at a round table in the corner, reading a menu and sipping a glass of wine. Noticing them approach, he put the menu down and stood.  
  
"You found it," he greeted them and held Chloe's chair for her.  
  
"They didn't believe me," Chloe grinned at him. "Thank-you." He did the same for Lana and the host held Amy's chair for her as well.  
  
"Merci," Lex told the host once they were all seated again.  
  
"So Amy," Chloe looked at the other blonde. "Your French is really good. Are you fluent?"  
  
"Technically," Amy shrugged and pulled her napkin out of its ring, spreading it over her lap. "I was in French Immersion in school."  
  
"Chloe didn't know what that meant, neither did Lana, but they both nodded politely and mimicked her actions with their napkins. Lex took a sip of water, hiding a smirk, and Chloe took that to mean that he did know what French Immersion was. Somehow that didn't surprise her.  
  
"Doesn't everyone in Canada speak French?" Lana laughed. Chloe blinked at her a couple of times and Amy bit her lip.  
  
"So," Lex cleared his throat slightly and chose to ignore Lana. "What did you do this morning?"  
  
"We went to the Eiffel Tower," Chloe beamed at him, fondly remembering the dozen's on pictures she'd taken.  
  
"Good view," Lex nodded. "I haven't been in years."  
  
"You should have come with us," Lana pouted slightly. "We're going to the Louvre after lunch. Do you want to come?"

* * *

Lex tried not to chuckle at the expression on Chloe's face. The four of them were standing in a throng of eager tourists, trying to get a look at the Mona Lisa. Chloe grimaced again when an overzealous man beside her managed to elbow her for the third time.  
  
Deciding they'd waited long enough, Lex began to push his way through the crowd, trusting the girls to follow. Once they were close enough to get a good view of the painting, he stopped. He hid another smirk when all three girls frowned slightly and cocked their heads to the side.  
  
"I thought it would be..."  
  
"Bigger?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"More impressive?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"I guess size does matter," Chloe snarked, prompting snickers from Amy and Lex. Lana continued to stare at the painting.  
  
"Does anyone else get the strange feeling," she leaned slightly to the left, and then to the right. "That she's watching you?"  
  
Amy frowned and then copied her roommate's actions. "Creepy," she remarked. They spent a few more minutes looking at the Mona Lisa before the surrounding tourists got to be too much.  
  
"Now what?" Lana asked, examining her map. "We could go see the Venus de Milo, or maybe Napoleon's Apartments."  
  
"I haven't seen the apartments yet," Amy suggested. Lana began to pout.  
  
"I was hoping to see the Venus de Milo," she sighed. Chloe ground her teeth slightly at the sound.  
  
"Why don't you guys go see the Venus de Milo," Chloe suggested to Lex and Lana. "I'll go with Amy to the apartments."  
  
"Oh no, you should see it too," Amy protested. "I have all summer to see them."  
  
"I don't mind," Chloe assured her. "I want to see how the filthy rich lived...present company excluded." Lex smirked.  
  
"Okay, that'll give Lex and I some time to talk," Lana nodded eagerly. Chloe bit back a clever retort, wondering for the hundredth time why she'd been so eager to see her again.  
  
"Great," Chloe clapped her hands. "Let's go then. Meet you back in the middle in...what and hour? Under the pyramid?" Without really waiting for a response, Chloe grabbed Amy's arm and began to drag her away, eager to escape Lana's constantly fluttering eyelashes.  
  
"Slow down," Amy laughed, stumbling slightly to keep up. "She's not going to follow."  
  
Chloe released her arm and looked at Amy seriously. They both began to laugh.

* * *

Lex struggled with unconsciousness as Lana droned on about various things she'd noticed in France. Ridiculous phrases, such as "no one here speaks English" and "the money is weird colours" made him wish that he'd suffered some type of hearing damage. Thank god she was attractive.  
  
Instead of a biting sarcastic remark, that would have been over her head anyways, he simply smiled supportively at her, wishing that she'd develop an original thought in that pretty head of hers. He was used to women who, even if homicidal and greedy, tended to be beautiful AND highly intelligent. He was beginning to think that maybe Lana wasn't "the girl who goes to Paris", maybe she was just "the girl who tries to be worldly before settling down with her nuclear family".  
  
Still, a part of him had missed her, missed the attention she paid to him. Chloe wasn't as fawning as Lana was, and though he didn't need constant reassurance, it was easy on the ego for someone to look at you as if you were some kind of god.  
  
"So, how has Chloe been doing?" Lana asked him, finally managing to grab his attention. "She says okay, but you know Chloe."  
  
He didn't actually, but he was getting there. "She seems to be doing better," he told her confidently, leading her towards a bench in the location they were supposed to meet the others at. "I think having Pete around helped her."  
  
Lana nodded. "He's been e-mailing me, keeping me up to date on her," she confessed, suddenly not seeming as vapid as she did a few minutes ago. "I guess I just needed to hear it from someone a little more objective than Pete. He's so head over heals for her that sometimes he only notices the good."  
  
Lex frowned. 'Pete's in love with Chloe?' he wondered, immediately realizing that it was true. Blatantly obvious in fact.  
  
"It's nice that you brought her here," Lana continued. "It's helped to get her mind off of things, for a while at least."  
  
"I said I'd come," Lex told her stoically. "Things are very different now, but I still intended to keep my word."  
  
She nodded again, getting slightly teary and obviously missing the subtext of his statement. "You always come through Lex," she told him adoringly, reminding him of his secretary. A part of him, the more arrogant part, loved that he could make Lana swoon over someone besides Clark Kent. The more logical part of him found her attentions a little nauseating.  
  
Opting for a compromise, he gave her a smile. "My friends mean a lot to me," he told her vaguely. Being the queen of vagueness, Lana grinned hugely at him, as if he'd professed his undying love for her.  
  
He was glad when Chloe and Amy joined them shortly after, because the speed at which Lana was fluttering her eyelashes was beginning to make him dizzy.  
  
TBC...

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews guys! I think this is the most I've ever had on one story before. You rock!  
  
To crazyscientist: Sorry, I hope you're not offended. Sounds like you are and that wasn't my intention. But if you've read my previous A/N's you'll notice that I wrote that it was from my actual experience; I HAVE actually met people that asked questions like that and seemed that oblivious (Is it cold there?...Winnipeg? I thought you said you were from Canada?...Do you have McDonalds in Canada?...and my personal favourite, Do you use Euros in Canada?). I'm not saying that it's often something you'd hear, Lana's comments were only an EXTREME generalization, and of COURSE most people have seen a map and don't ask stuff like that. I would just like to point out that there are several Americans that don't know anything about North Dakota and there are TONS of Canadians that insist that there are 49 or 50 or 51 states, don't realize that New Brunswick is a province, and think that Hollywood is the capital of California. People do actually ask those questions, not most people, but some people. That's why I made Lana ask them, because she's my least favourite character and Kristen actually is Canadian.  
  
You guys were right about the spelling mistakes, sorry. I'm going to try to be more careful about that. I should just get a beta but they slow the process down a bit (not their fault, it just takes longer), and I'm already pretty lousy with updating, so... Enjoy! And remember that this is only for entertainment it is not a comment on the society in general and it is certainly not a slight at anyone's intelligence, except maybe Lana Lang's. :0)  
  
Oh and don't worry about Amy, she's definitely not there to move in on Lex. She's not even a Mary Sue; new characters are tricky and I just wanted everyone not to hate her. Just because Lex laughs at her jokes doesn't mean he's interested; he's just polite, and so is she. Mostly she's just there to make Lana look stupider (because honestly I don't think Lana would be able to get into a school in Paris. Does she even do art?), and for someone to keep Lex and Chloe busy when one of them is talking to Lana. My Lana is exactly how I wish she would act on the show: stupid but warm hearted, and gets out of the way after her VERY small amount of screen time. I look at her as more of a Pete character but a girl...I totally support Pete/Lana_. 


	5. Fin

**Closer  
**  
Chloe loved Paris. She'd visited Versailles with Lex and even got him to do the campy tourist thing with her in Montmartre: street artists sketched their pictures. She'd gone to the Moulin Rouge with Lana and Amy and had a great time amongst the other tourists. As much as Lana tended to annoy her, Chloe knew that she'd miss the girl when she was gone.  
  
"I can't believe two weeks has gone by," Chloe sighed and packed more clothes back into her suitcase. Lex was leaning in the doorway in the stance she'd dubbed "pose #14", listening to her rant. "It's like we just got here. As crazy as Lana drives me, I'm going to miss her. Amy too. Remind me to call her if I ever go to Canada." Lex smiled and nodded.  
  
"I've been talking to Dominic," Lex told her, aiming for casual. Chloe wasn't fooled though, she knew who Dominic was.  
  
"What did Beelzebub have to say?" Chloe asked him, folding her opera gloves neatly and tucking them carefully into the bag.  
  
"My father's filed an appeal," Lex told her. "It goes to court tomorrow."  
  
Chloe took a deep breath and turned away from him. "So do I need to testify again?" she asked, concentrating on folding a sweater into a perfect square.  
  
"No, my lawyers have told me that neither of us will have to attend," he assured her. When she didn't say anything he walked over to the bed, standing beside her. "Chloe?"  
  
"Yeah?" she put on a bright smile, obviously false. He looked down at her uncertainly, probably wanting to comment on her nonchalance. Predictably, he averted his gaze when any emotion threatened to spread onto his face.  
  
"I have some friends in London that I've been meaning to visit," he told her. She believed that he knew people in London, but she doubted that he'd had any plans to visit them. "As long as we're here, I thought it might be a good time to visit. What do you think?"  
  
"I think that it's quite a coincidence that you remembered your English friends about the same time that we want to avoid going home," she smirked weakly.  
  
"Do you want to go or not?" he asked her, slightly impatiently.  
  
"I do," Chloe nodded. "I've always wanted to go to London."  
  
Lex nodded too. "Okay, we'll go tomorrow," he told her, his relief barely concealed. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
He touched her forearm gently before leaving the room. "Goodnight," Chloe called after him.  
  
"Goodnight," he left and she finished packing, a slight smile on her face.  
  
Fin.

* * *

_Next time on Smallville:  
  
..."Chloe this is Bruce Wayne"...Chloe shook his hand...  
  
..."For a guy you're supposed to be friends with you don't really seem to like him very much"...Lex smirked slightly...  
  
..."This is you restraining yourself?" she asks Lex..."Yes"..."I'd love to see you go wild"...He smirks. "I doubt that"...  
  
..."You're going to Pandemonium?" a girl asks Chloe..."So this place is fancy?" Chloe asks her..."It's expensive"...  
  
...Hundreds of camera flashes went off...Chloe smirks defiantly over the rim of her glass...  
  
..."Did you get security to follow me?" Chloe asks into a cell phone, studying a reflection in a store window...  
  
..."Get out of there now"...A familiar man in a black suit leers at Chloe...  
  
..."Chloe?"..."He's right behind me!"..._


End file.
